Disney Sing Along Songs

Disney Sing Along Songs is a series of videos, laserdiscs and DVDs with musical moments from various Disney films, TV shows and attractions. Lyrics for the songs are displayed on-screen with the Mickey Mouse icon as a "bouncing ball" (The concept, which was originated at the Fleischer Studios. In 1926, along with brother Dave, Max Fleischer patented the "bouncing ball" technique, by which a small animated ball would bounce over the words, cueing both the audience and the theater organist, in the silent Song Car-Tunes series. In 1928, the concept was revived as Screen Songs, to take advantage of techniques afforded by the sound era, and incorporating such musical guest stars as Ethel Merman and Rudy Vallee, or the text changing color as the song is sung, or a combination of the two. Early releases open with a theme song introduction (written by Patrick DeRemer) containing footage featuring Professor Owl and his class, seen originally in 1953 in two Disney shorts Melody and Toot, Whistle, Plunk, and Boom (voiced then by Bill Thompson). Professor Owl (now voiced by Corey Burton) hosts some of the videos while either Ludwig Von Drake or Jiminy Cricket host others, and later volumes, as well as the two Christmas videos, had no host at all. The footage of Von Drake and Jiminy Cricket were taken from several television programs (including the Walt Disney anthology television series) featuring the characters in the 1950s and 60s.